Early Signs of a Mole Infestation

Moles are burrowing animals with poor eyesight that reach a length of between 6 and 12 inches. These garden pests remain largely underground, but they show signs of their activity and damage. Catching the infestation early is key to getting rid of the moles before they cause major damage to your landscape. Check with your local extension office to determine if moles are protected before killing or trapping them.

Molehills

Molehills are often an early indicator that moles are tunneling under your lawn or garden. The molehills are small piles of dirt that rest on top of the lawn. Most of the hills are a few inches high, but the overall size varies. As the moles tunnel in your lawn, they need to get rid of the dirt. The molehills are how they remove the dirt. You may notice a few molehills when the moles first infest your yard. They quickly make more molehills throughout the lawn as they continue tunneling.

Tunnels

The burrowing of moles takes place underground, but those tunnels are often visible above ground. The tunnels often appear in your lawn as a raised area along the run. Feeder tunnels are closer to the surface where the moles are able to reach the insects they eat. These runs aren't usually in a straight line but instead twist around the lawn where the moles go to look for food. The feeder tunnels are only used for a short time until the insect supply is no longer available. Older feeder tunnels are often covered by dying grass since the roots are damaged by the moles. Travel tunnels go deeper into the ground and follow a straight line, often along the edge of a property or building.

Plant Damage

Moles generally cause damage to plants due to their burrowing activities. As the moles dig, they displace dirt around bulbs and plant roots. The exposed roots become dry and cause the plant to die. The mole tunnels can also shift or displace the plants in your garden, causing damage to them. Moles sometimes eat roots or bulbs, but they usually stick with insects and worms.

Moles vs. Voles

Voles are often confused for moles, but the two are distinguishable by the type of damage left behind. Unlike moles, voles eat plants, including roots and bulbs. If lots of plants begin dying, a vole could be the cause. Plants eaten by voles come out of the ground easily because they have few if any roots left. Voles also eat the bark from trees, both above and below the soil line. Moles generally stay underground and cause less damage to plants.

About the Author

Based in the Midwest, Shelley Frost has been writing parenting and education articles since 2007. Her experience comes from teaching, tutoring and managing educational after school programs. Frost worked in insurance and software testing before becoming a writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a reading endorsement.